The present invention relates to a device and a method for air improvement in air-conditioned spaces.
In virtually all spaces used by people, unpleasant or disturbing odors may occur which are detrimental to the wellbeing of persons spending time in them. In air-conditioned spaces, such as, for example, supermarkets, banks, hairdressing salons, restaurants and discotheques, but also in a home or the interior of a motor vehicle, disturbing odors are in many cases caused by the characteristic odor of the running air-conditioning system. Further odor emissions may be caused by activities, such as cooking, etc., or, particularly where there are large amounts of people in closed spaces, may be brought about by human perspiration.
There are various known measures for neutralizing or drowning unpleasant odors in spaces. For motor vehicles, what may be referred to as fragrant pinetrees are offered, which, hung behind the rear-view mirror, are intended to improve the odor in the motor vehicle. However, these fragrant pinetrees, which are fleeces impregnated with an aromatic substance, act for only a short time.
A further known product of the type of a mass-produced article is a perfumed felt ring that is placed from above onto the incandescent lamp. When the incandescent lamp is switched on and therefore heat is generated, the felt ring releases scents to an increased extent. This product, too, has a very limited useful life and the disadvantage that the odor emission is initially too strong and later too weak, that is to say the emission cannot be metered.
Furthermore, particularly for use in private houses, electrically operated fragrance dispensers are known, which are plugged into the socket. By means of the current obtained from the socket, heat is produced via a heating winding and causes perfumed liquids, gels or crystals to evaporate. These fragrance dispensers, too, are used up very quickly, and have only a local effect and cannot be controlled centrally.
Moreover, it is already known to couple fragrance dispensers to an air-conditioning system. U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,887 B1 describes a clip, made of a perfumed material, which is inserted into the outlet grid of an air-conditioning system. U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,720 B1 shows an air-conditioning system, in which a channel capable of being filled with an evaporable liquid is accommodated. By the channel being heated, a scent contained in it can be evaporated. One disadvantage is that, even when heating is deactivated, a consumption of scent occurs, at least until all the liquid has evaporated out of the channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,301 relates to a system for cleaning an evaporator in a motor vehicle air-conditioning system or for feeding odor-active or antibacterial substances into the system. For this purpose, a nozzle bar arranged downstream of the blower in the flow path is provided for atomizing the corresponding liquid. Continuous enrichment of the air-flow with the aromatic or antibacterial active substances is not possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,302 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,320 describe systems, by means of which various fragrances can be added to a ventilation system via a scent wheel similar to a revolver. The metering control takes place via a connectable bypass line. Use in cinemas and the like is intended.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,771 relates to an aroma spray mechanism which is integrated into an air-conditioning system and which is implemented by means of a solenoid valve. The spray mechanism allows only a pulsed enrichment of the air flow in the air-conditioning system with scents.